


Somnyama Ngonyama Interlude:  A Night in Pretoria

by Thecsquirrel



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Left on the Cutting Room Floor, Missing Scene, Some Fluff, skirts a T-Rating, some pillow talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 19:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13418172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thecsquirrel/pseuds/Thecsquirrel
Summary: Missing scene from "Hail,  The Dark Lioness" - A moment of downtime before Nadine and Chloe head to Johannesburg - fits between chapter 11 and 12.





	Somnyama Ngonyama Interlude:  A Night in Pretoria

**Author's Note:**

> _*I'm headed into hibernation for upcoming Hell Week (midterm exams) and figured I'd throw something into the universe before my brain gets bogged down in grading._  
>  **This is just a little something that didn't quite make it into the story. It just didn't fit with the pacing, but I think it tied up a loose end or two. Cheers!

Chloe's sleep was thick and dreamless: the kind of sleep that only comes from a combination of lush sheets and muscles exhausted by the tumblings and contortions brought on by strenuous activity. An activity which had left she and Nadine naked and sweaty before the sun had even gone down. Finally, alone and left to their own devices for the first time in almost two days, they took advantage of the time alone to talk and mostly to reconnect. 

Uncharacteristically, Nadine had talked the most and Chloe had listened. Her tone was contrite and her language was expository as she explained that night in the alley and even the gift of money from her father. She had awkwardly joked about the gold-plated RPG and Chloe only tilted her head and pursed her lips in agreement. Save a few smiles, Nadine was mostly just disappointed in herself for the mistakes she made. Feather-lite kisses about her face stemmed the pinpricks of tears that reflexively gathered at the corner of Nadine's eyes. Chloe whispered words of assurance and forgiveness, followed by soft kisses meant to heal, that soon turned to kisses meant arouse. There was more Nadine had wanted to say, but somewhere between wet kisses and wandering hands, her words didn't much matter anymore. They would while away the next few hours together, obligated to no one other than themselves. Nadine, eager to pay penance, and Chloe desirous to alleviate both their fears. 

Much later, awakened either by the cool air or the instinctive realization that Nadine was not next to her, Chloe stirred and searched the moonlit room for her partner. Out of habit, her lips curled up into a smile, as sleepy gray eyes alighted on Nadine's silhouette, where she stood in the open door that led to the hotel suite's balcony. Stark naked and leaning against the frame of the open sliding glass balcony door, Nadine's warm brown skin reflected the near ethereal silver light of the large full moon that hung over the capital city. Her curly hair was loose about her shoulders and Chloe knew that she would eventually braid it up to keep it from being unruly and on the "frizz" as she would say, in the morning. Chloe wore a dopey smile on her face as she openly watched the other woman, and delighted in the pleasurable remnants of sore thighs and tender forearms, which caused her to take her time as she sat up and leaned back against the headboard, simply admiring the view.

The moon provided the only light in the room and cast a silvery blue-black filter to the suite, bespeckling the edges of the white comforter in silver slivers of light and darkening the red undertones of Nadine's skin. The light played across the curves of the muscles in her arms, sparking the memory of those arms stretched high against the staunch white of the bed sheets, only to be later curled possessively around Chloe's hips and thighs. The memory made her quake at the remembered sensations. A pink tongue ran across her bottom lip, as Chloe let her eyes move across the sculpted symmetry of Nadine's back, and eventually down her spine, sprinkled with freckles and scars and two-tone birthmarks. She involuntarily caught her bottom lip between her teeth as her eyes roamed wantonly over the smooth round flesh of Nadine's ass and carried down the thick thighs and calves that had been snaked around her body only hours earlier. If she had perished, it would have been with a smile. 

Her lascivious thoughts left her wet and wanting, so, Chloe rose from the comfort of the bed and made her way towards Nadine with the bed sheet billowing like a cape behind her. Nadine didn't even bother to startle as Chloe's long arms wrapped around her stomach and she hummed her approval as Chloe hugged her close, resting her chin on her shoulder. Nadine turned her head and stole a quick kiss before turning to look out once more into the South African night. Chloe rewarded her with butterfly kisses to neck and stared out into the night, happy to simply hold Nadine. 

"Sorry, if I woke you." Nadine's voice was raspy from use. 

"You're like a little heater; I was cold." There was a smile in her words. 

Nadine chuckled and lightly smacked Chloe's hand before entwining their fingers together as they rested on her stomach. "And you're like a koala," she countered. 

Chloe nipped her earlobe in response. "You want to tell me what you're thinking?"

Nadine's breasts rose and fell as she took a breath and settled back into Chloe's embrace. "Did you know koalas can sleep for up 19 hours right there in the Eucalyptus trees?"

Chloe smiled and pressed another kiss to her collarbone. "Actually, I did." Nadine's shoulders shook with a laugh. "I'm serious, it's part of Australian citizenship to know everything about Koalas and Kangaroos."

"Oh yeah," she challenged.

"Sure. Like, they're not even bears and their claws are sharp." Chloe mimicked a claw for effect and lightly scratched across the defined sections of Nadine's abs. Nadine flinched at the ticklish sensation and grabbed her hands. Chloe smirked. "I'm going to file that away for further use." Nadine just shook her head. They stood silently together for another few breaths before Chloe ventured her question once more. "Am I going to have to tickle it out of you?" 

After a beat, Nadine answered. "No. I was just being thankful, I guess." Her words were soft. Chloe simply nodded, her chin moving against the crook of Nadine's neck where her chin still rested. She regripped Chloe's hands that were still wound around her midsection. "I mean, I thought I was finished with Shoreline. With all of it and I just- I just hate that I had loose ends out there." She took a deep breath and finished, “I can't begin to explain how sorry I am." Her voice caught in her throat.

Chloe stood up straight, but didn't pull away from Nadine. She disentangled her left hand so she could touch her fingertips to Nadine's jaw. At the subtle prompting, Nadine turned her head and was quickly met by the firm press of Chloe's lips against her mouth. With eyes still closed, she nibbled on Nadine's bottom lip before pulling back. "I know you are, and I forgave you about the second you zoomed up to me on that 4-wheeler."

Nadine rolled her eyes. "Really?" Her tone was skeptical.

Chloe chuckled. "Okay, so maybe it wasn't that exact second, but honestly, once I saw your face, the only thing I could think about was getting you in my arms and never letting you go."

Nadine's breath hitched and she let go of a disbelieving, "ja?"

This time Chloe did step back, so that she could grip Nadine about the shoulders and turn her around to face her. Long arms wrapped around Nadine's neck and she pulled her close once more, as the sheet wrapped around her. "Ja," she responded with all the confidence that the former mercenary had lacked before. 

Nadine's smile lifted her cheeks and she pressed forward to show Chloe the words that she couldn't quite get out. She kissed her with an open mouth and a fervent tongue. Chloe whimpered as she moved her hands to cup Nadine's jaw, not with an intent to control the kiss, but to simply hold on. She knew Nadine might never write her magnum opus or a 1,000-page love letter, but the way her lips caressed her skin, and the comfort and strength of her arms as they enveloped her, and the possibility she saw reflected in her eyes, were better than a library full of words. Nadine eased her lips away, only when her lungs began to burn. She wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist and rested her forehead against the other woman's as they each took a moment to catch their breaths. 

"I guess it just scares me how much I want this life with you." Nadine kept her eyes closed tight and her head still pressed against Chloe's as she spoke. "And I know you're capable and I know you're fearless. But I-I think, no, I know - I would burn down the world if it meant keeping you safe." 

This time it was Chloe's voice that got caught in her throat. She leaned back and ran her thumbs across Nadine's cheeks, careful of the healing bruise, as she waited for her to open her eyes. When brown eyes finally met her own, she could feel the moisture gathering at the corners of her own eyes. "Well, if you go burning down the world, love, then where are you and I going to live." She got the laughter she wanted from Nadine in response. 

Nadine shrugged. "I'm sure we'll figure it out."

Chloe's smile was smug. "Exactly. We." She deliberately paused before continuing, "will figure it out. You got my meaning, partner?" 

Nadine nodded as Chloe kissed her forehead. "Will you come with me tomorrow to Johannesburg after we get done with the lawyer?" Her eyes were bright in the moonlight.

"Of course. Do I get to drive?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Sure, I'll let you drive." Nadine laughed as she kissed the side of Chloe's neck.

Chloe meant to inquire more about Johannesburg, but the sensation of Nadine’s lips against her neck sent tingles down the back of her legs and she practically purred. "Although, if you keep doing that honey, I may not be able see straight."

"Is that so?" Nadine's voice dropped into a dangerously low octave and the responding shiver that shook Chloe's shoulders was all the permission she needed. Her hands dropped from around Chloe's waist to underneath her thighs and she lifted the taller woman with ease. Long legs locked around her hips and the sheet fluttered to the floor as Nadine walked them back towards the bed, to where she would press Chloe into the mess of pillows, and spend at least another two hours making apologies and asking for absolutions.  


_Fade out..._


End file.
